Greetings to all Kenpo folks! (Kenpoists, kenpoka, whatever you want to call yourselves...<g>)
I started in Kenpo many, many years back, in an offshoot school that wasn't affiliated with any organization, and had very little ties to more "traditional" versions of Kenpo (fewer techniques, different names, no use of "standard" terms, etc.). I really enjoyed it, and frankly, knew no better, but stayed with it and learned some things on my own over the years as well. I got up as far as 1st Degree before taking a serious break due to real life issues.
For a while, I worked out on my own, but then started to feel the itch for formal class again. I found out that a guy at my work studied with an AKKI affiliated school, and I thought I'd give it a shot. I went in for a trial week, and BAM! Hooked again.
Funny thing is, this is more what I was looking for all along. Adult classes only, technical detail, more standardized material, and material I can actually discuss with others -- in terms they would recognize and understand!! Happiness!!
I went in as a white belt, and tried to make no mention of my prior training, but wound up talking with the school's owner after a couple of classes, and my training came up. I was given the opportunity to move forward a little faster if I thought it would matter, but both the owner and I agreed that that would be more of a bad idea.
Personally, I *want* to start over. I have been enjoying going back and picking up details that I may have muddied over the years, and seeing a more original "Kenpo" sense of things...as well as getting the true terminology down. It's amazing some of the things I've seen, heard, and felt...stuff that I probably should have known somewhere along the way, but didn't get, either because I never learned it or was too thick-headed to understand...
Anyway, I'm looking forward to getting back into the discussions here on Martial Talk, and getting into the academic side of Kenpo as well (now that I'm seeing more of it, especially). I know there are differences between organizations and "flavors" of the Kenpo family (EPAK, AKKI, etc.), and want to stay away from the politics, but aside from that....just looking forward to talking with ya'all!
So I apologize in advance for any of the "Geez, n00b" questions....just realize that they are questions coming from a reborn white belt.
And I have to say....if you haven't tried it in a while, being a white belt again is a great experience! Now, if I could just shut off/shut down the voices in my head that are thinking through the variations of a technique as I learn them, and just LEARN THE DAMN TECHNIQUE....sheesh....
Peace --
--Tonbo
I started in Kenpo many, many years back, in an offshoot school that wasn't affiliated with any organization, and had very little ties to more "traditional" versions of Kenpo (fewer techniques, different names, no use of "standard" terms, etc.). I really enjoyed it, and frankly, knew no better, but stayed with it and learned some things on my own over the years as well. I got up as far as 1st Degree before taking a serious break due to real life issues.
For a while, I worked out on my own, but then started to feel the itch for formal class again. I found out that a guy at my work studied with an AKKI affiliated school, and I thought I'd give it a shot. I went in for a trial week, and BAM! Hooked again.
Funny thing is, this is more what I was looking for all along. Adult classes only, technical detail, more standardized material, and material I can actually discuss with others -- in terms they would recognize and understand!! Happiness!!
I went in as a white belt, and tried to make no mention of my prior training, but wound up talking with the school's owner after a couple of classes, and my training came up. I was given the opportunity to move forward a little faster if I thought it would matter, but both the owner and I agreed that that would be more of a bad idea.
Personally, I *want* to start over. I have been enjoying going back and picking up details that I may have muddied over the years, and seeing a more original "Kenpo" sense of things...as well as getting the true terminology down. It's amazing some of the things I've seen, heard, and felt...stuff that I probably should have known somewhere along the way, but didn't get, either because I never learned it or was too thick-headed to understand...
Anyway, I'm looking forward to getting back into the discussions here on Martial Talk, and getting into the academic side of Kenpo as well (now that I'm seeing more of it, especially). I know there are differences between organizations and "flavors" of the Kenpo family (EPAK, AKKI, etc.), and want to stay away from the politics, but aside from that....just looking forward to talking with ya'all!
So I apologize in advance for any of the "Geez, n00b" questions....just realize that they are questions coming from a reborn white belt.
And I have to say....if you haven't tried it in a while, being a white belt again is a great experience! Now, if I could just shut off/shut down the voices in my head that are thinking through the variations of a technique as I learn them, and just LEARN THE DAMN TECHNIQUE....sheesh....
Peace --
--Tonbo
